Pitocin to deliver placenta?

AshleyC0117

I met with a doula over the weekend and she mentioned that at the hospital where I am delivering they give all women pitocin after they have delivered the baby in order to prevent hemorrhage and to deliver the placenta. Even if you have successfully had an unmedicated birth you are still required to have the pitocin. Is this normal? Has anyone had experience with this? I am hoping to have an unmedicated birth and this was disappointing news to me, even if it is given after the actual birth.

mommy~to~mj

I have no clue, I had a c-section the first time around...but can they really force a medication on you like that if you don't want it? Women have given birth for thousands of years without needed a synthetic drug to help deliver a placenta...I can't see why they would need it unless specific circumstances warranted it. I'm not a doctor so maybe I'm missing something but that seems strange to me.

Mrs.Teddy

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

Mrs.Teddy

mommy~to~mj:

I have no clue, I had a c-section the first time around...but can they really force a medication on you like that if you don't want it? Women have given birth for thousands of years without needed a synthetic drug to help deliver a placenta...I can't see why they would need it unless specific circumstances warranted it. I'm not a doctor so maybe I'm missing something but that seems strange to me.

And a lot more women used to hemmhorage and die after delivering babies then do now. Some things like this are in place for a reason.

You are right tho, she can refuse it if she chooses too. Labour is a lot of work on the giant uterus muscle and sometimes the uterus just "peters out" and doesn't contract in the way that it should. I am medical minded however and would much rather take a bit of pitocin post delivery then risk hemhoragging, which can affect milk supply and increase the risk for needing a blood transfusion.

AshleyC0117

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

I only found it disappointing because I'd rather not take anything unless it's necessary. Obviously, if there was a complication I would gladly use whatever drugs/interventions that are needed, and if pitocin after delivery is the hospital policy I'm not going to argue with it. But I guess I just felt like I'd rather try to do it on my own first and then get the pitocin if needed. 

kellbelle618

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

Thanks for sharing. I never knew they did this! (But then being a FTM, I have no experience with L&D at all)

Mrs.Teddy

AshleyC0117:

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

I only found it disappointing because I'd rather not take anything unless it's necessary. Obviously, if there was a complication I would gladly use whatever drugs/interventions that are needed, and if pitocin after delivery is the hospital policy I'm not going to argue with it. But I guess I just felt like I'd rather try to do it on my own first and then get the pitocin if needed. 

I understand wanting to go natural, especially when there are risks related to drugs (and most have risks) however I dont' know of any risks related to getting Pitocin post delivery. Nursing immediately will help to get your natural oxytocin flowing. I have seen things go really bad really quickly and its so scary, it can be hard ot get under control once it begins, to me getting that one time does of Pitocin is worth it (if you have no IV they will give you a one time IM injection otherise will just put it in your IV).  

Mrs.Teddy

I think knowledge is power in any circumstance, here's a link to a simple article that discusses it a bit

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2006/0315/p1025.html

AshleyC0117

Mrs.Teddy:

AshleyC0117:

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

I only found it disappointing because I'd rather not take anything unless it's necessary. Obviously, if there was a complication I would gladly use whatever drugs/interventions that are needed, and if pitocin after delivery is the hospital policy I'm not going to argue with it. But I guess I just felt like I'd rather try to do it on my own first and then get the pitocin if needed. 

I understand wanting to go natural, especially when there are risks related to drugs (and most have risks) however I dont' know of any risks related to getting Pitocin post delivery. Nursing immediately will help to get your natural oxytocin flowing. I have seen things go really bad really quickly and its so scary, it can be hard ot get under control once it begins, to me getting that one time does of Pitocin is worth it (if you have no IV they will give you a one time IM injection otherise will just put it in your IV).  

This is all good to know and it's nice to have your L&D perspective. I am a FTM and I feel clueless about so many things. I was thrown off when I told the doula I plan to not have any medications and she said I'd be required to have the pitocin so I was interested to hear if this was normal protocol, which I guess it is! I do plan to nurse immediately to release natural oxytocin, so hopefully this will also help.

Unknown

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mamabear0813

AshleyC0117:

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

I only found it disappointing because I'd rather not take anything unless it's necessary. Obviously, if there was a complication I would gladly use whatever drugs/interventions that are needed, and if pitocin after delivery is the hospital policy I'm not going to argue with it. But I guess I just felt like I'd rather try to do it on my own first and then get the pitocin if needed. 

I would regard this as necessary. It can be a very very dangerous situation if you wait it out and start to hemorrhage because there is no telling how quickly they'll be able to get a hold of the bleeding and or if they will be able to catch up to it. 

If you have an IV (which I recommend even if you want to go naturally. It's there already in case of an emergency. The can put a hepblock in until the actually need it, so no being stuck in one position or place) they'll put it right in the IV. you won't even notice.

It's not as if you wouldn't be able to deliver your placenta, it just may take longer, bleed more, and your uterus may not contract as well or as quickly. That means a MUCH MUCH longer recovery time and that means that you will be less able to care for your brand new baby right away, because your body is working harder than it has to. 

ETA: well everyone said it before I could. I wasn't trying to be obstinate, I just can't post as fast, so I didn't realize it was all said already! 

AshleyC0117

Mrs.Teddy:

I think knowledge is power in any circumstance, here's a link to a simple article that discusses it a bit

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2006/0315/p1025.html

Thanks! This really helps.  

Mrs.Teddy

AshleyC0117:

Mrs.Teddy:

AshleyC0117:

Mrs.Teddy:

Can I ask why this is dissapointing? I'm not trying to be a B, but I just think people get WAY too caught up in little things like this that are done for safety.

At my hospital we give Pitocin to every women as soon as the baby is delivered (it is a higher dose then used to induce) this helps the uterus to contract and the prevents hemmhorage, helps the placenta deliver as well. I think even the midwives do this. I believe its part of the SOGC in Canada's reccomendations.

I have been in delivery rooms where the nurse didn't have the pitocin prepared so it wasn't up immediately after baby was out and the doc can tell he usually says something because there is an increased amount of bleeding.

 

I only found it disappointing because I'd rather not take anything unless it's necessary. Obviously, if there was a complication I would gladly use whatever drugs/interventions that are needed, and if pitocin after delivery is the hospital policy I'm not going to argue with it. But I guess I just felt like I'd rather try to do it on my own first and then get the pitocin if needed. 

I understand wanting to go natural, especially when there are risks related to drugs (and most have risks) however I dont' know of any risks related to getting Pitocin post delivery. Nursing immediately will help to get your natural oxytocin flowing. I have seen things go really bad really quickly and its so scary, it can be hard ot get under control once it begins, to me getting that one time does of Pitocin is worth it (if you have no IV they will give you a one time IM injection otherise will just put it in your IV).  

This is all good to know and it's nice to have your L&D perspective. I am a FTM and I feel clueless about so many things. I was thrown off when I told the doula I plan to not have any medications and she said I'd be required to have the pitocin so I was interested to hear if this was normal protocol, which I guess it is! I do plan to nurse immediately to release natural oxytocin, so hopefully this will also help.

I'm happy to share any info I have. I am also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, so I hope I can be a source of knowledge to you ladies in some ways. I totally respect and understand women wanting to go natural, I didn't/don't have the interest in that personally but have supported many women through wonderful med free births. Every birth experience belongs to the women and I try to help them ahcieve their goals in the safest way possible.

WildcatPrincess

I had a med free birth, but got a shot of pit after. I think I'd already delivered the placenta too. They did ask me, but considering my blood pressure bottomed out and I was bleeding heavily I told them to do whatever they needed! That was scary.

Lina1030

I had an all natural non medicated birth...I got the pitocin...honestly didn't even know until I saw it on my bill. It is normal.  You can see if you can decline it...I spoke to my hypnobirthing instructor about this for baby#3 if I should tell them I don't want it...she said it is normal, I can fight it, but not something really to worry about or worth an argument if you have to fight the hospital/nurses/doctor. It didn't bother me that I got it...because I wanted an all natural birth (which I had)...I just wish I was told.  Now I know.

Mjmksb04

I have an unmedicated birth with my first and did not recieve/need pitocin to deliver the placenta. It just kind of....came out.